THURSDAY NIGHT
Washington (+3.5) at Green Bay, o/u 48.0
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT
The Commanders had little trouble putting down the Giants in their season opener, but that seemed to have a lot more to do with the state of the Giants than anything else. Jayden Daniels produced a combined 301 yards through the air and on the ground, while rookie seventh-rounder Jacory Croskey-Merritt rewarded the team's faith in him with 82 yards and a TD on only 10 carries. With Terry McLaurin perhaps not quite up to game speed after his contract dispute lasted into late August, Deebo Samuel was a surprise standout, flashing back to his usage with the Niners by posting a 7-77-0 line on 10 targets while adding a 19-yard TD on his only carry. Dan Quinn's defense was stingy against what might be a rapidly aging Russell Wilson, but it's still not producing the kind of splash plays his units are known for, managing just two sacks and zero takeaways. Things might look more Quinn-like going forward, though — Wilson was pressured on nearly half his dropbacks (22 of 45), per NextGen Stats, and while the roster may lack a true alpha pass rusher, Dorance Armstrong, Deatrich Wise, Frankie Luvu and whatever Von Miller has left in the tank isn't a terrible group.
Speaking of Quinn's last alpha pass rusher back in his Dallas days, Micah Parsons' Packers debut went about as well as anyone in Green Bay could have hoped.
THURSDAY NIGHT
Washington (+3.5) at Green Bay, o/u 48.0
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT
The Commanders had little trouble putting down the Giants in their season opener, but that seemed to have a lot more to do with the state of the Giants than anything else. Jayden Daniels produced a combined 301 yards through the air and on the ground, while rookie seventh-rounder Jacory Croskey-Merritt rewarded the team's faith in him with 82 yards and a TD on only 10 carries. With Terry McLaurin perhaps not quite up to game speed after his contract dispute lasted into late August, Deebo Samuel was a surprise standout, flashing back to his usage with the Niners by posting a 7-77-0 line on 10 targets while adding a 19-yard TD on his only carry. Dan Quinn's defense was stingy against what might be a rapidly aging Russell Wilson, but it's still not producing the kind of splash plays his units are known for, managing just two sacks and zero takeaways. Things might look more Quinn-like going forward, though — Wilson was pressured on nearly half his dropbacks (22 of 45), per NextGen Stats, and while the roster may lack a true alpha pass rusher, Dorance Armstrong, Deatrich Wise, Frankie Luvu and whatever Von Miller has left in the tank isn't a terrible group.
Speaking of Quinn's last alpha pass rusher back in his Dallas days, Micah Parsons' Packers debut went about as well as anyone in Green Bay could have hoped. He brought down Jared Goff only once himself, but his disruptive presence helped the team rack up four sacks in total. Fun/bonkers factoid: Parsons, Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness were on the field together for only seven plays. The Lions gained six yards total against them. The 27-13 win over the Lions was a team effort on both sides of the ball and was aided by the fact that Detroit is breaking in two new coordinators and three new starting offensive linemen, but it was still a divisional win in the standings. Jordan Love was efficient on just 22 pass attempts, as he tossed two TDs and didn't commit a turnover or get sacked, and Josh Jacobs got rolling late and punched in a fourth-quarter score to put the game out of reach. Matthew Golden had a quiet debut, but he looked the part of a future WR1 at least, and if he becomes the player the Packers expected when they popped him with the 23rd overall pick, this team is a legit Super Bowl contender. (They might be without him, to be honest, but a Golden breakout would provide what seems to be the only missing piece on the roster.)
Key Info
WAS injury report: RB Austin Ekeler (questionable, shoulder), WR Noah Brown (questionable, knee)
GB injury report: WR Christian Watson (PUP, knee), LG Aaron Banks (questionable, ankle), RT Zach Tom (questionable, oblique), EDGE Micah Parsons (questionable, back), CB Nate Hobbs (questionable, knee)
Slight lean: RB Austin Ekeler (GB 30th in receptions, 30th in receiving yards allowed to RBs in 2024)
Strong lean: RB Josh Jacobs (WAS 26th in rushing DVOA, 28th in YPC allowed, 29th in rushing yards per game allowed and t-26th in rushing TDs allowed to RBs in 2024)
Slight fade: RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt (GB seventh in rushing DVOA, third in YPC allowed, eighth in rushing yards allowed to RBs in 2024)
Slight fade: QB Jordan Love (WAS third in passing yards per game allowed in 2024)
NFL weather report: 5-10 percent chance of rain
The Scoop: Ekeler leads the WAS backfield with 70 combined yards. Daniels throws for 220 yards a touchdown to Zach Ertz while running in another TD himself. Jacobs churns out 130 yards and two scores. Love throws for 210 yards and hits Golden for his first career touchdown. Packers 27-23
Last week's record: 11-5 (.688), 10-5-1 ATS (.667), 6-10 o/u (.375)
2024 record: 183-89 (.673), 141-128-3 ATS (.524), 144-126-2 o/u (.533)
